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No one is currently doing more for soccer in North America than Canada’s women’s national team.

Sounds funny, doesn’t it? A male-dominated, global sport continues to progress in Canada due to the superstar status of Olympic heroes like Christine Sinclair and Diana Matheson, both of whom played a big part in Canada medalling at last summer’s Olympics.

Of course the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and Montreal Impact have had their moments and continue to help grow the game in their communities. And Canada’s men’s national team had a brief moment in the spotlight last fall.

But ahead of Sunday night’s game against the seemingly invincible Americans at BMO Field, the major story lines surrounding Canada’s women battling the U.S. for the first time since the Olympics have little to do with what will occur within the lines.

Call it a rivalry game, a payback game, whatever you will, the result in this friendly means nothing compared to the unparalleled support that serves as notice that the ‘beautiful game’ is making strides in a country that just a decade ago didn’t give it the time of day.

Now, between 1,000 and 2,000 parents and kids show up on a Friday at the country’s national soccer venue to take in a pre-match training session ahead of the weekend.

And, after more than 3 million Canadians tuned in to watch the last time Canada met the U.S., it’s safe to say the TV numbers will be decent once again.

Did we mention the match sold out in under an hour?

“Heading into the Olympics, obviously we wanted to bring home a medal,” Sinclair said during the buildup to Sunday night. “More importantly, we wanted to change the sport of soccer within Canada.”

In case you needed proof, consider this: During FIFA World Cup qualifying in 1998, Canada played five times in Toronto, drawing under 5,000 fans each time.

In five Olympic qualifiers over 10 days in Vancouver last year, Canada’s women averaged 15,306 at BC Place, with the semifinal against Mexico drawing close to 23,000 and the final against the U.S. drawing 25,427.

Mission accomplished, Sinclair.

Now, about the game.

Sinclair reiterated Canada’s capable of beating any team in the world on any given day.

Currently No. 7 in the FIFA World Rankings, Sunday’s test against the No. 1-ranked Yanks will serve as preparation for things to come.

“This is the type of environment we need to get used to leading into the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015,” Canada’s head coach John Herdman said.

“We are playing the best team in the world yet people still expect us to try and get a result on home soil.”

The Americans hold a commanding 44-3-5 record against Canada since 2001, dominating the series while humbling Canada on a number of occasions.

But while Canada will be out to get a result in front of a Toronto fan base that’s rarely treated to wins — sorry, TFC — the team’s captain reiterated that she’s more focused on learning from high-profile friendlies that will test Canada’s consistency.

“The Olympics are in the past,” Sinclair told the Toronto Sun.

Sunday’s meeting between the two sides will be the first since the U.S. controversially ousted Canada from the gold-medal match in London.

“It was a tremendous moment for our team and soccer in this country,” Sinclair continued. “But we need to move on and look forward to the upcoming World Cup and this game is just a step towards that.”

The preparation leading up to the match has been about one thing.

“Consistency,” Sinclair started. “You look at the Americans, they show up every day no matter who they are playing against. They are out to win and you know they’re going to put forth a performance.

“With us, it’s still hit or miss. You look at some of our past friendlies and we’re still a bit inconsistent.”

It might be a bit harsh, but Canada’s women have been consistent in one sense — going winless against the Americans for more than a decade.

And with the Yanks sporting FIFA World Player of the Year nominees in Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan up top, that streak’s unlikely to end anytime soon.

“We know that it is going to take a collective personal best performance if we are going to get a result from this game,” Herdman said. “We have done everything in our power to help us reach that goal.”

THE SKINNY

A pair of controversial calls snatched glory away from Canada’s women’s national team at the London Olympics when Norwegian referee Christina Pederson whistled Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod for holding the ball for longer than six seconds, a call almost never made at the senior level.

That led to the free-kick that led to Canada’s Marie-Eve Nault handling the ball inside the area, leading to the U.S. levelling the game and eventually winning it in extra time.

That loss set off a firestorm of controversial words and allegations, leading to Christine Sinclair earning a suspension for her allegations against Pederson.

Now, the Canadians meet the Americans for the first time since that memorable night at Old Trafford, with that loss still fresh in their minds.

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Canuck women seek soccer revenge against U.S.

No one is currently doing more for soccer in North America than Canada’s women’s national team.

Sounds funny, doesn’t it? A male-dominated, global sport continues to progress in Canada due to the superstar status of Olympic heroes like Christine Sinclair and Diana Matheson, both of whom played a big part in Canada medalling at last summer’s Olympics.

Of course the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and Montreal Impact have had their moments and continue to help grow the game in their communities. And Canada’s men’s national team had a brief moment in the spotlight last fall.

But ahead of Sunday night’s game against the seemingly invincible Americans at BMO Field, the major story lines surrounding Canada’s women battling the U.S. for the first time since the Olympics have little to do with what will occur within the lines.